Sea Cucumber Extract Research Articles

Antibacterial synergistic effect of sea cucumber extract and kelulut honey combination

Natural products remain one of the major sources of new drug molecules today. The combination of sea cucumber extract with stingless bee honey holds great potential for health supplement. However, the specific results of the combination have yet to be determined. In this study, the antibacterial activity of kelulut honey and Phyllophorus spiculata sea cucumber extract samples individually and in combination were assessed with disk-diffusion assays and broth dilution method. Most of the samples exhibit small or absence of inhibitory activity using disk-diffusion assay method. Only kelulut honey sample with 100% concentration has a positive antagonism effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. For the broth dilution method, Gram-positive bacteria were found to be more susceptible as compared to Gram-negative bacteria species, with lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of kelulut honey, sea cucumber or combination sample. The growth of gram-positive S. epidermidis is inhibited by sea cucumber extract at MIC value of 0.031 mg/mL, kelulut honey at MIC value of 0.063 mg/ mL and combination sample at MIC value of 0.063 mg/mL, all of which are of lower MIC value as compared to E. coli inhibition. The absorbance at optical density (OD) 600nm wavelength was also measured to monitor the growth of bacteria in solution. From the results, broth dilution proves to be a more effective method to assess the antibacterial activity in the combination samples. Two combinations showed the best antibacterial synergy (OD600 value of 0.000) against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which were (1) ½ sea cucumber: ½ kelulut honey combination and (2) ¾ sea cucumber: ¼ kelulut honey combination. This preliminary evidence on their antibacterial synergistic activities is promising and shows possible commercialization potential.

Identification of novel anti-obesity saponins from the ovary of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus)

The potential anti-obesity effects of sea cucumber extract have been reported. However, the individual saponins responsible for these effects are yet to be isolated and characterized. This study aimed to identify the most effective sea cucumber body part for inhibiting lipid accumulation in adipocytes and to elucidate the compounds responsible for this effect using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Sea cucumber ovary 80 % ethanol extract (SCOE) demonstrated remarkable efficacy in inhibiting adipocyte differentiation compared to other sea cucumber body parts with 50 % or 80 % ethanol extracts. SCOE anti-obesity effect was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet, which revealed significant reductions in body weight, serum lipids, adipose tissue, and liver weight. Using column chromatography, eight saponins were isolated from the SCOE, four of which exhibited potent inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation. Of these, three active saponins, holotoxins A, B, and D1, were newly identified. These findings highlight the potential of SCOE and its saponins as effective anti-obesity agents.

Evaluation of the potential of Stichopus Herrmanni extract in inhibiting cervical cancer cell proliferation

BackgroundSea cucumbers, particularly Stichopus herrmanni, are known for their medicinal value in Asian traditional medicine owing to the abundant presence of saponins, terpenoids, and phenols. Investigations on these bioactive compounds have revealed their cytotoxic propensity against various cancer cell lines, indicating their therapeutic potential. However, limited research exists on the potential application of sea cucumber extracts specifically in cervical cancer. PurposeThis study aimed to identify the bioactive components of Stichopus herrmanni extract, determine their association with potential targets in cervical cancer, and evaluate their cytotoxic effects on cervical cancer cells. Study DesignThis experimental study employed both in vitro and in silico methods to evaluate the potential cytotoxic effects of Stichopus herrmanni extracts on cervical cancer cells. MethodsLiquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to identify and quantify the bioactive constituents of Stichopus herrmanni crude extract. An in silico approach was used to identify the active components, potential targets, and signaling pathways of the extract. Furthermore, the MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity of the extract. ResultsLC-MS analysis identified the presence of rengyol, eucommiol, ganoderic acid, and 6-isoinosine in the extracts. An in silico study based on structural analysis identified ganoderic acid and isoinosine as crucial active components capable of regulating majority of the targets associated with cervical cancer. Overlapping targets, namely, CASP3, CAT, FASLG, IL24, TP53, TP53BP1, ALB, BDNF, and COX2 between cervical cancer and the extract highlighted new therapeutic prospects for cervical cancer following protein-protein interaction network screening. The in vitro cytotoxic effects of the extracts were established in HeLa cells. ConclusionResearch indicates that Stichopus herrmanni may be a valuable source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in the treatment of cancer and the induction of apoptosis

The Addition Effect of Sea Cucumber Extract (Stichopodidae) on the Quality of Snakehead Fish oil (C. striata) during Storage

Snakehead fish (Channa striata) is one of the freshwater fish consumptions that has high economic value so that many people like it. Processing snakehead fish into fish oil can be an alternative to product diversification. Fish oil is an oil that contains high unsaturated fatty acids that are easily oxidized. Adding antioxidants to the oil can suppress oxidation so it is necessary to add antioxidant agents derived from natural ingredients such as sea cucumber extract (Stichopodidae). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of sea cucumber extract antioxidants with the best concentration on changes in the quality of snakehead fish oil obtained from previous research during storage. The material used in this study was sea cucumber extract and snakehead fish oil. The study was carried out using experimental laboratories method using Split Plot in Time design where the difference in adding sea cucumber extract as the main plot and storage duration as a sub-plot for Thiobarbituric acid (TBA), Peroxide Value (PV), and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) tests. The treatment of this study was the addition of sea cucumber extract (0% as a control; 0.1%; 0.2%; 0.3%) with 2 storage points (0 and 5 days) for 3 repeats. Making sea cucumber extract extraction method using 96% ethanol. Parametric data were analyzed with Analysis of Variance tests (ANOVA) and Honest Real Difference (HRD) while non-parametric data were analyzed with Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney. The results of preliminary research obtained sea cucumber extract ration with 96% ethanol solvent of 16.1%, % inhibition of 80.30% and antioxidant activity of IC50 of 80.875 ppm (strong). The results of the main study obtained TBA values ranging from 0.07 to 0.27 mg. malonaldehyde/kg, PV range from 0.13 to 5.31 mEq/kg, and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) values range from 0.39 to 1.54%. Based on the results of the study showed that the interaction between the concentration of sea cucumber extract and the duration of storage had a real effect (p < 0.05). 0% sea cucumber extract produced the lowest TBA sapling, which was 0.07±0.05 mg. malonaldehyde/kg, 0.1% yielded the lowest peroxide number at 3.40±1.25 mEq/kg, and 0.2% yielded the lowest FFA number of 0.58±0.00% on day 5. The results suggest that ethanolic extract of sea cucumber does not act as an efficient antioxidant agent to prevent fish oil degradation.

Sea Cucumber and Blueberry Extracts Suppress Inflammation and Reduce Acute Lung Injury through the Regulation of NF-κB/MAPK/JNK Signaling Pathway in Lipopolysaccharide-Treated C57BL/6 Mice.

Acute lung injury (ALI) represents a life-threatening condition with high morbidity and mortality despite modern mechanical ventilators and multiple pharmacological strategies. Therefore, there is a need to develop efficacious interventions with minimal side effects. The anti-inflammatory activities of sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) and wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) extracts have been reported recently. However, their anti-inflammatory activities and the mechanism of action against ALI are not fully elucidated. Thus, the present study aims to understand the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of sea cucumber and wild blueberry extracts in the context of ALI. Experimental ALI was induced via intranasal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) instillation in C57BL/6 mice and the anti-inflammatory properties were determined by cytokine analysis, histological examination, western blot, and qRT-PCR. The results showed that oral supplementation of sea cucumber extracts repressed nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, thereby downregulating the expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the lung tissue and in the plasma. Wild blueberry extracts also suppressed the expression of IL-4. Furthermore, the combination of sea cucumber and wild blueberry extracts restrained MAPK signaling pathways by prominent attenuation of phosphorylation of NF-κB, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) while the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly suppressed. Moreover, there was a significant and synergistic reduction in varying degrees of ALI lesions such as distorted parenchyma, increased alveoli thickness, lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltrations, fibrin deposition, pulmonary emphysema, pneumonia, intra-alveolar hemorrhage, and edema. The anti-inflammatory effect of the combination of sea cucumber and wild blueberry extracts is associated with suppressing MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, thereby significantly reducing cytokine storm in LPS-induced experimental ALI.

The Latest Research on 3 (Three) Types of Sea Cucumber Extract from Tegal Mas Island, Lampung

Sea cucumbers are deep-sea-dwelling invertebrate animals that are rich in nutrients and have been empirically used to prevent various degenerative diseases, especially due to their ability to dampen free radicals. The purpose of this study was to identify, and determine antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and toxic properties in extracts of several sea cucumber species originating from Tegal Mas Island, Lampung. The identification results of the three sea cucumber species were Stichopus vastus Sluiter (SV), Stichopus monotuberculatus Quay & Gaimard (SM), and Stichopus quadrifasciatus Massin. (SQ). The extraction was performed by kinetic maceration against all parts of the sea cucumber using a 70% ethanol solvent. Antioxidant activity test using the DPPH (2,2-diphenylpicrilhydrazyl) free radical suppression method and determination of the total phenolic content using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results showed that SV had the highest total phenolics and antioxidants with the lowest toxicity. However, optimisation of extraction between wet and dry sea cucumbers is still required. Extraction optimisation with various solvents can also be done to gain secondary metabolites more effectively.

Effect of intra-alveolar delivery of Frondoside A on inflammatory response of delayed tooth replantation.

Frondoside A is a sea cucumber extract which is well known for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Frondoside A application in the alveolar socket on inflammatory responses after delayed replantation in rat teeth. Human periodontal ligament cells were cultured and exposed to Frondoside A. Cell-counting kit-8 assay was performed to evaluate the cell viability and nitric oxide assay was performed to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of Frondoside A. Molars were extracted from 32 Sprague-Dawley rats and randomly divided into control and Frondoside A groups. After 30 min of extra-oral dry time, molars were replanted. In the Frondoside A group, Frondoside A solution was applied in the alveolar socket before replantation. The animals were sacrificed after 28 days and histologically and immunohistochemically evaluated. 0.5 μM Frondoside A showed higher cellular viability at 6 h and lower production of nitric oxide compared with other Frondoside A solutions (p < .05). The Frondoside A group demonstrated lower inflammatory resorption scores in both middle 1/3 and apical 1/3 of root compared to the control group (p < .05). The Frondoside A group showed lower levels of expression in both cathepsin K and CD45 compared with the control group (p < .05). Within the limits of this study, intra-alveolar delivery of Frondoside A alleviates inflammatory root resorption in delayed replantation of rat teeth.

Antibacterial and antioxidant activity of sea cucumber extracts collected from Lampung waters, Indonesia

Sea cucumbers are the most prevalent marine invertebrates in Indonesian waters, yet little research has been conducted on the bioactive substances found in the sea cucumbers harvested from these waters. To investigate the potential use of sea cucumber extracts and fractions such as antibacterial and antioxidant agents, five sea cucumber species were harvested from Lampung waters in Indonesia. The extraction process used the maceration method with methanol solvent, while fractionation was carried out with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol solvents. The antibacterial activity was evaluated using the agar diffusion method, and the antioxidant activity was assessed using the ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) method. The GC–MS method was used to identify the compounds in the methanol extract and butanol fraction of Holothuria lessoni. The results showed that only the n-hexane fraction of Stichopus quadrifasciatus and the methanol extract of H. lessoni had antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes, while the methanol extract of H. lessoni and the ethyl acetate fraction of H. leucospilota showed activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The n-hexane fraction of S. quadrifasciatus and the methanol extract of H. lessoni and Bohadschia marmorata recorded activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Among the tested extracts, Holothuria leucospilota showed the highest antioxidant activity in methanol extracts, with an IC50 value of 155.07 ​± ​3.05 ​μg/mL, followed by H. lessoni (163.83 ​± ​4.46 ​μg/mL), Stichopus vastus (209.45 ​± ​2.40 ​μg/mL), S. quadrifasciatus (245.85 ​± ​34.97 ​μg/mL), and B. marmorata (382.86 ​± ​45.37 ​μg/mL), respectively. Cyclononasiloxane, octadecamethyl- (C18H54O9Si9), cyclohexasiloxane, dodecamethyl (C12H36O6Si), and cyclooctasiloxane, hexadecamethyl- (C16H48O8Si8) were identified as the main compounds in the tested samples using GC–MS analysis. In conclusion, H. lessoni is a valuable source of natural antibacterial and antioxidant agents.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of three sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract. Ereguero MG, Gelani C, Dalayap R, Cordero MA, Tabugo SR. 2023. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of three sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines. Biodiversitas 24: 2527-2535. The marine environment is a rich source of potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents. This study investigated three sea cucumber species' antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. The methanol: ethyl acetate crude extracts of Holothuria scabra, Stichopus sp., and Holothuria atra were tested for their antibacterial activity against gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) bacteria using modified microtiter plate method. Results revealed that sea cucumber extracts have MIC values of 0.0008-0.0944 mg/mL. One-way ANOVA results revealed a p value &lt;0.05, and Tukey’s pairwise result confirmed that the antibacterial activity of H. scabra extract is not comparable with Ciprofloxacin (p value &lt;0.05). However, Stichopus sp., and H. atra (1) and H. atra (2) revealed a comparable antibacterial activity with Ciprofloxacin (p value &gt;0.05). The crude extracts were also evaluated for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using the albumin denaturation method. The results showed a percentage inhibition within the range from 44.50-49.69%, 44.74-51.44%, 31.82-49.48%, and 49.16-52.15% inhibition at 200-, 100-, 50-, and 25 ppm, respectively. One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s pairwise result revealed that the sea cucumber extracts showed a comparable percent inhibition with the positive controls, Celecoxib and Diclofenac sodium, at 200 ppm. This study revealed sea cucumber crude extracts as a potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent.

Application of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Method in Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria atra) Extract Peel-off Gel Mask and Antioxidant Activity Tests

Black Sea cucumbers (Holothuria atra) are a potential source of active metabolites such as flavonoids widely used for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical products. The type of nanoparticle that is often used in cosmetics and skin products is Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN). In this study, the SLN of black sea cucumber extract will be prepared in the form of a peel-off gel mask as an antioxidant. Black sea cucumbers were extracted using the maceration method, while SLN preparation used high-shear homogenization and freeze-drying methods. Crude extract and SLN were formulated into peel-off gels and then evaluated, including organoleptic, homogeneity, viscosity, pH, spreadability, drying time, tensile strength test, and antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. The IC50 values of blank (F1), peel-off gel extract (F2), and nanoparticle peel-off gel extract (F3) were each 600.8727 ± 0.43; 580.7849±0.7; and 592.76±0.55 µg/mL. In conclusion, the SLN method can be applied to the formulation of black sea cucumber extract nanoparticles. However, peel-off gel masks from the crude and nanoparticle extracts have very weak antioxidant activity.

Proliferative Effect of Aqueous Extract of Sea Cucumber (Holothuria parva) Body Wall on Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells.

Sea cucumber extracts and their bioactive compounds have the potential for stem cell proliferation induction and for their beneficial therapeutic properties. In this study, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were exposed to an aqueous extract of Holothuria parva body walls. Proliferative molecules were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis in an aqueous extract of H. parva. The aqueous extract concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL and 10 and 20 ng/mL of human epidermal growth factor (EGF) as positive controls were treated on hUC-MSCs. MTT, cell count, viability, and cell cycle assays were performed. Using Western blot analysis, the effects of extracts of H. parva and EGF on cell proliferation markers were detected. Computational modeling was done to detect effective proliferative compounds in the aqueous extract of H. parva. A MTT assay showed that the 10, 20, and 40 µg/mL aqueous extract of H. parva had a proliferative effect on hUC-MSCs. The cell count, which was treated with a 20 µg/mL concentration, increased faster and higher than the control group (p < 0.05). This concentration of the extract did not have a significant effect on hUC-MSCs' viability. The cell cycle assay of hUC-MSCs showed that the percentage of cells in the G2 stage of the extract was biologically higher than the control group. Expression of cyclin D1, cyclin D3, cyclin E, HIF-1α, and TERT was increased compared with the control group. Moreover, expression of p21 and PCNA decreased after treating hUC-MSCs with the extract. However, CDC-2/cdk-1 and ERK1/2 had almost the same expression as the control group. The expression of CDK-4 and CDK-6 decreased after treatment. Between the detected compounds, 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl phenyl)-benzene showed better affinity to CDK-4 and p21 than tetradecanoic acid. The H. parva aqueous extract showed proliferative potential on hUC-MSCs.

Antibacterial Potential of Holothuria leucospilota, Brandt 1835 Extracts from Carmen Bay, Romblon, Philippines

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of extracts from the skin, Polian vesicle, Cuveirian tubules, and intestines of sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilota was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The disc diffusion method evaluated the antibacterial activity of sea cucumber H. leucospilota extracts. All treatments show inhibitory effects in both test microorganisms however cuvierian tubules have no effect on E. coli. Among the six treatments tested in S. aureus, the skin has the highest zone of inhibition with an average of 23.25mm followed by the intestine at 14.75mm, positive control at 10.25mm, and Polian vesicle at 9.00mm, respectively. The majority of the treatments were classified as bacteriostatic towards the test microorganisms. Based on the findings of this study, the Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus was more susceptible than the Gram-negative bacteria, E. coli. Therefore, it was concluded that sea cucumber extracts especially H. leucospilota collected in Carmen Bay, Romblon, Philippines, exhibited antibacterial potential towards test bacteria. The results of this study suggest that H. leucospilota is a potential source for discovering new antibiotics. Thus, this species has a potential for the pharmaceutical industry. It also suggests further investigations need to be carried out to determine its potential application in other aspects of medicine. In addition, elucidation of the compounds responsible for the bioactive including identification, sufficient isolation, and purifications, and also the analysis of the antibacterial mode of action should be done for natural drug development in the future.

Evaluasi aktivitas penyembuhan luka menggunakan krim campuran ekstrak teripang laut dan kunyit

Background: Skin is a layer of tissue from body that covers and protects the body from the danger that comes from outside and the environment. Skin is very susceptible to trauma, which is a cut wound. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the mixture from sea cucumber and turmeric extract in cream dosage on rat’s cut wounds. Methods: This study used 15 white rats which were given a cut and the treatments of mixed cream with the different concentrations. The treatments were given by to dab the mixed cream on the wound area each day. The wound healing was observed on days 1, 7, 14 and 21, then the researchers gave scores on those wounds. The researcher measured the wound healing through the acceleration parameters of wound closure and inflammation reduction. Results: The results of this study showed that the rats wound completely closed on all area treatments and also showed that the healing time is faster than those who did not receive treatment. Conclusion: This result indicates that sea cucumber and turmeric extract have the potential and effective for heals the wounds and then can be used as an alternative for wound medicine.

Investigation of antibacterial and anticancer effects of novel niosomal formulated Persian Gulf Sea cucumber extracts

Pharmaceutical companies worldwide are scrambling to develop new ways to combat cancer and microbiological pathogens. The goal of this research was to investigate the antibacterial, anticancer, and apoptosis effects of novel niosomal formulated Persian Gulf Sea cucumber extracts (SCEs). Sea cucumber methanolic extracts were prepared and encapsulated in niosome nanoparticles using thin-film hydration. The compound was made up of Span 60 and Tween 60 blended with cholesterol in a 3:3:4 M ratios. Characterization of niosome-encapsulated SCE evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The disk diffusion method and microtiter plates were used to investigate the antimicrobial activity. The effect of niosome-encapsulated SCE on cell proliferation and apoptosis induction was studied using MTT and Annexin V, respectively. The expression of apoptosis-related genes, including Bax, Fas, Bax, Bak, and Bcl2, was studied using quantitative real-time PCR. Niosome-encapsulated SCE with a size of 80.46 ± 1.31 and an encapsulation efficiency of 79.18 ± 0.23 was formulated. At a concentration of 100 μg/ml, the greatest antimicrobial effect of the niosome-encapsulated SCE was correlated to Staphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition zone of 13.16 mm. The findings of the study revealed that all strains were unable to produce biofilms at a concentration of 100 μg/ml niosome-encapsulated SCE (p < 0.001). The survival rate of cancer cells after 72 h of exposure to niosome-encapsulated SCE was 40 ± 3.0%. Encapsulated SCE in niosomes inhibited cell progression in MCF-7 cells by increasing G0/G1 and decreasing S phase relative to G2/M phase; as a result, it activated the apoptosis signaling pathway and led to the induction of apoptosis in 69.12 ± 1.2% of tumor cells by increasing the expression of proapoptotic genes (p < 0.001). The results indicate that sea cucumber species from the Persian Gulf are a promising source of natural chemicals with antibacterial and anticancer properties, paving the path for novel marine natural products to be discovered. This is the first demonstration that niosome-encapsulated SCE contains antibacterial and anticancer chemicals that, according to their specific characteristics, boost antitumor activity.

Holothuria scabra Jaegar 1833 (Sandfish) extracts and collagens modulate protein‐bound Nε‐carboxymethyllysine, Nε‐carboxyethyllysine and methylglyoxal‐derived hydroimidazolone‐1 levels

SummaryIn this study, sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra; Jaegar 1833) extracts and collagens were evaluated for inhibitory properties of protein‐bound advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Processed dried sea cucumber with salt extract showed a significant lower IC50 value for fluorescent AGEs (9.19 ± 7.68 μg mL−1, P &lt; 0.05) and fructosamine (503.47 ± 46.37 μg mL−1, P &lt; 0.05), respectively. Processed dried with and without salt extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxymethyllysine (CML) and methylglyoxal‐derived hydroimidazolone‐1 (MG‐H1) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Smoked dried and fresh‐dried extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxyethyllysine (CEL) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Pepsin‐solubilised collagen and the crude collagen fibrils significantly reduced CML and MG‐H1 levels whereas CEL levels were unchanged. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that protein‐bound AGE and CML inhibition significantly correlated with the total phenolic and antioxidant activities, respectively. This study provides a strong rationale for further investigation aimed at identifying the active compounds responsible for the observed effects on biomarkers relevant to diabetes.

Saponin and Fatty Acid Profiling of the Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra, α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity and the Identification of a Novel Triterpene Glycoside

Saponin-rich sea cucumber extracts have shown antidiabetic effects in a few reports. Although the triterpene glycosides of sea cucumbers are commonly isolated from their Cuvierian tubules, these are absent in Holothuria atra Jaeger. Therefore, this study intended to investigate the saponin profile in the body wall of H. atra, as well as to assess the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the H. atra extracts. The chemical profiling of sea cucumber extracts was conducted by UPLC-HRMS analysis. This resulted in the tentative identification of 11 compounds, 7 of which have not been reported in the H. Atra body wall before. Additionally, two triterpene glycosides were purified and their structures were elucidated based on HRMS and NMR data: desholothurin B (1), and a novel epimer, 12-epi-desholothurin B (2). Moreover, the fatty acid profile of the H. atra body wall was investigated by GC-MS. It was found that the Me90 fraction of the H. atra body wall showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 value 0.158 ± 0.002 mg/mL), thus making it more potent than acarbose (IC50 value 2.340 ± 0.044 mg/mL).

Neuroprotective effects of a medium chain fatty acid, decanoic acid, isolated from H. leucospilota against Parkinsonism in C. elegans PD model.

Sea cucumbers are marine organism that have long been used for food and traditional medicine in Asian countries. Recently, we have shown that ethyl acetate fraction (HLEA) of the crude extract of the black sea cucumber, Holothuria leucospilota, could alleviate Parkinsonism in Caenorhabditis elegans PD models. In this study, we found that the effective neuroprotective activity is attributed to HLEA-P1 compound chemically isolated and identified in H. leucospilota ethyl acetate. We reported here that HLEA-P1 could attenuate DAergic neurodegeneration, improve DAergic-dependent behaviors, reduce oxidative stress in 6-OHDA-induced C. elegans. In addition, HLEA-P1 reduced α-synuclein aggregation, improved behavior deficit and recovered lipid deposition in transgenic C. elegans overexpressing α-synuclein. We also found that HLEA-P1 activates nuclear localization of DAF-16 transcription factor of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. Treatment with 25μg/ml of HLEA-P1 upregulated transcriptional activity of DAF-16 target genes including anti-oxidant genes (such as sod-3) and small heat shock proteins (such as hsp16.1, hsp16.2, and hsp12.6) in 6-OHDA-induced worms. In α-synuclein-overexpressed C. elegans strain, treatment with 5μg/ml of HLEA-P1 significantly activated mRNA expression of sod-3 and hsp16.2. Chemical analysis demonstrated that HLEA-P1 compound is decanoic acid/capric acid. Taken together, our findings revealed that decanoic acid isolated from H. leucospilota exerts anti-Parkinson effect in C. elegans PD models by partly modulating IIS/DAF-16 pathway.

Antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Holothuria atra extract

Sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) was used as a reducing and capping agent in the green synthesis process to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The antioxidant activity of the generated silver nanoparticles was then evaluated. Seacucumber extract was mixed with the AgNO3 solution and homogenized using a magnetic stirrer to create the silver nanoparticles. It was determined that silver nanoparticle production had occurred using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Before being examined for antioxidant activity, the generated nanoparticles were first given a characterizing using Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectrometers. The maximum uptake was obtained at wavelengths of 440 cm-1 using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Functional groups that play a role in the synthesis of nanoparticles were -OH- C=O, and –C-O groups. The free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an absorbance maximum (517 nm) was used for antioxidant properties. The antioxidant assay showed that Silver nanoparticles had higher antioxidant activity than sea cucumber extract alone, with an IC50 value of 4 ppm.Keywords:AntioxidantSeacucumberGreen SynthesisSilver NanoparticlesDPPH

Bioactive Components of Meat Powder and Viscera-Gonad Holothuria Scabra from Terung Island Waters, Batam, Indonesia

Holothuria scabra contains some bioactive components that are highly needed by humans in functional and healthy food. This study aims to determine differences in chemical content and bioactive components, the amount of water-soluble protein, salt-soluble protein, amino acid profile, and fatty acid profile from meat powder ingredients and viscera-gonad. The research stages include the weeding process and sample preparation, making meat powder and sea cucumber viscera-gonad, and testing the chemical and bioactive composition. Yields of sea cucumber meat powder and viscera-gonads were 95.45% and 95.92%, respectively. Sea cucumber meat powder has a slightly grayish creamy white color (69.32% white degree), while the sea cucumber gonad powder has a slightly brownish grayish-white color (63.09% white degree). The chemical contents of meat powder and edible gonad of sea cucumber are water content 9.12% and 16.12%, protein 79.50% (dw) and 51.83% (dw), fat 2.14% (dw) and 20.09% (dw), ash 4.14% (dw) and 9.52% (dw), carbohydrates 13.88% (dw) and 18.57% (dw), respectively. Components of bioactive in sea cucumber extract generally contain flavonoid components, saponins, alkaloids and steroids, and specifically, the meat is not identified flavonoid compounds. Water-soluble protein and salt-soluble protein in the sea cucumber powder decreased compared to the fresh sea cucumber. Essential amino acids in sea cucumber amino were most abundant in meat of 74.09% and viscera-gonads of 49.95%. The dominant essential amino acids in sea cucumber meat included lysine (6.78%) and leucine (7.11%), in the viscera-gonad of leucine amino acid types (3.81%) and arginine (4.16%). The amount of total fatty acids in sea cucumber meat (1.71%) was smaller than that of sea cucumber gonads (18.49%). The types of fatty acids identified in the meat and the sea cucumber viscera-gonad were saturated fatty acids of 1.08% and 8.97%; saturated fatty acids of 0.63% and 4.96%; while compounds saturated fatty acids in meat were not identified and in viscera-gonads by 4.56%.

Antifungal activity of selected sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using modified SPOTi assay

Abstract. Ereguero MG, Cordero MA, Dalayap R, Tabugo SR. 2022. Antifungal activity of selected sea cucumber species from Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using modified SPOTi assay. Biodiversitas 23: 6049-6055. Marine organisms have become essential candidates for discovering novel compounds that can be medically and commercially important. They are believed to yield novel compounds with unique chemical structures and significant biological activities since they managed to survive a milieu of pathogenic microorganisms and essential predators. The quest against fungal infections has been challenging due to acquired resistance to commercially available drugs hence, novel sources to treat infectious diseases caused by fungi have been investigated. Sea cucumbers have been recognized in Asian countries as a rich food source. Apart from that, they have also been studied for their medicinal properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the selected sea cucumber species found in Brgy. Sugod, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines using the modified SPOTi assay. Methanol: ethyl acetate crude extracts of Holothuria scabra, Stichopus sp., and Holothuria atra were tested for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida tropicalis. A 96-well plate assay was used, and the growth of fungi was assessed visually for up to 72hrs. The concentration resulting in ‘no fungal growth’ was observed and taken as the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value. The average MIC was calculated. Results showed that sea cucumber crude extracts have MIC values of 0.0333-0.1 mg/mL. Tukey’s posthoc test confirmed that the antifungal activity of the sea cucumber extracts was comparable to the positive control Fluconazole (p&gt;0.05). The present study revealed a potentially effective natural antifungal agent from sea cucumbers.